Pathways
by sparinerin
Summary: Zana is Zuko's younger sister. She was banished to the same island as her mother at a young age. Now that the one hundred year war is over, she must transition from life as a prisoner to life as a princess. ZukoXKatara and possible OCXOC.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first attempt at a fanfiction so please; I'm begging you try to be nice. I want your constructive criticism, but all flames will be met with sever sarcasm. Thank you, now on to the story. **

**Chapter 1: Quiet**

I was lying in my bed, silent tears falling on to my cream colored duvet. I hear the door swing open and feel the bed beneath me slant to the side as my visitor sat down.

"Zana you can't mope forever," My older brother Zuko intones.

"I can if I want," I reply wiping away the tears so Zuko will not see.

Zuko found our mother and I only a few months ago. My mother fled the castle after she killed my grandfather, many years ago. She was captured and sent to an exile on a small island known only as The Inferno. I was sent there only a few months after she, when I was found helping known traitors of the Fire Nation. I was only eight years of age. I had thought that they were sad people who needed food and warmth, things I could, and did, give them. Zuko is exactly one year and a day older than I, so there for I am sixteen and The Great War is thankfully at an end.

I am lying here moping, because my only friend, Jin has disappeared and left only a cryptic message for me.

"Come on," Zuko pulls me up off of the bed and drags me through the entire palace until we reach his suite. "I want to show you something."

He holds out a crown, similar to the one that adorns his head. "This is the crown meant for the princess of our great nation," He says holding it up to the light.

"Yes, and some day it will look great on your daughter. How is this supposed to make me feel any better?" I ask, sourly.

"I want you to keep your title, and when someday if I am blessed enough to have a daughter I will make you a grand duchess," He says, moving to stand beside me. "If you accept," he continues, "I will crown you in a week's time at a grand ceremony. What do you say Zana?'

"I accept."

Zuko smiles and invites me to have tea with him; I decline and instead head for my favorite place the gardens that make up the center courtyard of the palace. Once I find my way there I sit myself down and pull Jin's letter out of my pocket. It is damp from my tears, and has worn creases in it from the number of times I have unfolded it to read it, but when I find no new meaning I fold it back up and return it to its place in my pocket.

_Zana,_

_It has been you all along and this realization is the one that_

_leads me to know that I must depart from you. Do not worry _

_I will find my way in good time. The leaf that has not yet_

_fallen may be the one that tips the scales. In who's favor I do_

_not yet know, but the scale moves, that is for certain. I must leave _

_now. Do not act solely on instinct, think, meditate, then act._

_Follow Your Path. _

_-J_

Jin, what does this mean I question over and over. Please tell me, give me some of your guidance. What am I? What is the leaf? What's on either side of the scale? These and many more are the questions that haunt me as I make my way back to my room. Where I fall into a fitful sleep, full of scales, leaves, and pathways, none of which are mine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi all. Sorry for not updating sooner I am on vacation and time to write is fleeting. So on to the story! **

Zuko P.O.V.

I watched as my sister quietly closed the door and listened to her almost silent retreat down the hall. I flopped down into one of the large chairs that made up the sitting room outside of my bedchamber. I put my head into my hands trying to block out the world unfortunately that did not work. A moment later there was a light knock on the door. I waited a brief moment then called for whoever it was to enter.

The door opened and in walked the only person who could've made my day better I picked up my head to see Katara walking towards me. She took one look at my face and the questions came flooding out of her.  
"Zuko, what's wrong? Did your sister decline your proposition? What troubles you?" She sat down next to me, just as another knock followed by a maid entering and setting a tea service on the table in front of us. After making sure we did not require anything else she excused herself, and I returned my attention to Katara.

"I just don't get it. Her words and actions are happy, but yet she remains unhappy. After she accepted her role as princess she just sulked away. Why can't she just accept that Jin is gone? She would be so much happier," I said, my temper starting to flare.

"Zuko, her life has just been turned upside down. She is having trouble transitioning from life as a prisoner of war to life as a princess. And Jin, her rock when things were tough, just up and disappeared. His leaving has only made the transition harder."

Katara stood moving to stand behind me. "Try to see things from Zana's point of view," She said as she began rub my shoulders.

"I have had enough of this! If she can't be mature then I am not going the try to make her happy when she turns down each and every one of my efforts." I yelled, jumping out of my seat. I stormed off to my bed and Katara quietly exited my suite.

The next morning I awoke to find myself alone in my bed. Not something that occurred quite often. I recalled last night's events and instantly regretted my words. I should not have taken my anger at my sister out on Katara; I had to apologize. I got out of bed and dressed quickly. As I walked towards Katara's rooms I felt a twinge of guilt she wasn't the only person I needed to talk to today.  
"Katara?" I called, knocking on her door. There was no reply. I opened the door and found all the lights to be off. I shed some light onto the room and found the bed to be empty and it looked as if no one had slept in it the night before. On her desk there was this short note.

_Zuko,_

_Your behavior was inexcusable. I think you need to figure your life_

_out some before we can make 'us' work. Go make things right_

_with Zana. And when you can learn to walk in someone else's shoes_

_maybe we can figure 'us' out. As for now I have gone to stay with_

_my brother in Republic City. Hopefully I will talk to you soon. _

_With Love,_

_Katara _

How could I have ruined the best thing in my life so easily? I wondered. I then walked down towards my sister's suite.

"Zana?" I called.

"Come in."

As I enter the room the first thing I notice is the pack lying open on my sister's bed.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked looking at the contents of the trunk; clothes, toiletries, books and such. 

"Yes, Zuko I am afraid that my princess crowning must wait. As for now I am going to find Jin. I need to know what he meant about the scales."

"What scales? Zana I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Just know this Zuko. I will be back soon but there are some things I need to do first. I will see you soon," with that she closed her pack and walked out the door.

"Zana!" I yelled, going after her.

"What?" Came her curt reply.

"Why does he matter so much to you? Why can't you be happy without Jin?" I asked.

"I am not entirely sure Zuko but I will tell you when I know." She turned and walked down the hall, turned a corner and was lost from my sight.

I only a few hours I had lost two of the most important people in my life. How could I be so stupid? I couldn't get Katara back until I figured things out with my sister who was gone. They say good things come to those who wait maybe they are right, but they never mention how painful the waiting can be.


End file.
